


Perseverance: Alexa

by AttackPlatypus



Series: The Perseverance-verse [4]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alexa is busy, F/F, F/M, Perseverance-verse, one day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-20 03:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20668667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AttackPlatypus/pseuds/AttackPlatypus
Summary: Set 3 years after Perseverance: A day in the exhausting life of Alexa Bliss.





	Perseverance: Alexa

**Author's Note:**

  * For [clexasaloha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/clexasaloha/gifts).

It was 4:30 AM.

Alexa Bliss’ eyes opened several moments before her phone began to buzz on her nightstand. It was still dark outside but this didn’t matter much to her. Alexa had the uncanny ability to fall asleep quickly and then sleep for exactly the amount of time she desired before waking. She still set an alarm to be safe, but her internal one was nearly flawless.

Alexa always awoke well before the sun, no matter what timezone she was in. Alexa had a schedule that would make almost anyone go wide eyed when confronted with it, but to her, it was just life. She accomplished this by a rigorous and life long commitment to efficiency. A minute maximizer in every sense of the word, Alexa completed more tasks in a day than many people did in a week. Part of this success lay in simply extending her days by getting up early.

After a brief time in the bathroom, Alexa emerged clad in workout clothes. When she was at home in Orlando she often simply did yoga or rode her stationary bike. But as she was on the West Coast for business, she had arranged for something different this morning. Getting into her rental car she drove about twenty minutes into the heart of Los Angeles and came to a stop in a decrepit looking parking lot.

Stepping out once more, her eyes alert and scanning her surroundings, she approached the front door of her destination. The faded writing on the door indicated the gym did not open for several hours but Alexa simply knocked several times and waited. A few moments later a surly voice sounded from the other side of the door.

“Fuck off! It’s the middle of the night!”

“I am here at our pre-arranged time, Mr. Fifita,” Alexa said calmly. There was a rustling at this as the blinds on the door were pulled apart to reveal a dark eye that widened when it saw her.

“I’m sorry Mrs. Bliss, I wasn’t-...I apologize for my language, just a sec.” 

Alexa waited patiently as several locks and chains were undone on the far side of the door. She stood absolutely and rigidly straight, as she always did. She found bad posture to be particularly irritating in others. Still, she had learned to suppress signs of this and so it was with a perfectly impassive expression that she looked up at Meng Fifita when he opened the door.

“Uh, come on in...ma’am,” the large man said as he moved aside and held up a thick arm to welcome her inside. Alexa strode forward with her hands clasped behind her back, surveying all around her with a critical eye. What she saw did not exactly impress her. 

The interior was large but poorly lit by what lights there were, it was obvious that it depended greatly on the large windows along the forward wall for illumination. The walls and floors were all cracked or faded and every surface seemed to have accumulated the dust of decades. Alexa took this all in with one professional glance before turning to look at the gym’s proprietor in his wide and wizened face. This involved some craning of her neck but she was used to this.

“I’m sorry the place is such a mess…” Meng Fifita said, fidgeting where he stood. 

“How shall we begin?” Alexa asked in reply. Fifita seemed to start at this but he gathered himself quickly. Turning, he whistled to the gym’s only other occupant, a tall blonde who had been shuffling around inside one of the rings.

“Von Erich! Get over here! Don’t keep Ms. Bliss waiting!” Meng snapped, some of his usual vocal pattern reasserting itself. The tall woman rolled out of the ring and came to stand beside her trainer, casting a curious eye at Alexa.

“This is Alexa Bliss, she is a very important woman and she’s hoping to get a quick workout in this morning. Work her through some drills and then spar with her, got it?” Meng asked.

“Yeah, I guess…” Von Erich said with a shrug. Meng muttered something gruff sounding before turning to wander off leaving the two women together.

“Alexa Bliss, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Von Erich,” Alexa said as she extended her hand in a form perfect handshake. As the taller woman took it, Alexa could tell she was surprised by the strength of her grip.

“You can call me Lacey, it’s nice to meet you Mrs. Bliss. I’ve heard a lot about your work with Becky Lynch,” Von Erich answered. Alexa was prepared to leave their interaction at this but then one of the many lessons her friend, Bayley Martinez, had impressed on her presented itself in her head.

“You may call me Alexa,” she said, still a bit stiffly even after all her practice. She wore informality like a set of ill-fitting clothes but she had come to recognize it’s value. She doubted she’d ever have Bayley’s ability to ingratiate herself with others but she knew she was improving. 

“OK, Alexa, wanna start?” Von Erich suggested. Alexa nodded and they started to walk toward the ring that Von Erich had been in, as they walked the other woman asked a question. “Maybe as we worked you could give me some points on building my brand?”

“Want to,” was all Alexa said as she climbed up and into the ring.

“What?”

Alexa turned and raised an eyebrow at the other woman, still standing on the floor. “You said ‘wanna’ a moment ago. You should have said ‘want to’, avoid contractions if at all possible. This will help combat the notion that, as the TMZ report on you suggested, you are a ‘ditzy bimbo’.”

Von Erich’s eyebrows nearly vanished into her hairline as she flushed slightly. “You, you heard about that? I didn’t realize you had studied up on me…”

“Don’t be too flattered, I read everything…” Alexa said brusquely as she began to stretch “...And you might consider using the phrasing ‘done research on me’.” Von Erich didn’t seem to know what to do with this but she climbed into the ring and watched Alexa stretch. She waited for a few minutes before she asked if Alexa was ready to begin. Alexa nodded but held up a finger.

“Please, proceed, but first...a request if I may?”

“Uh...sure?”

“If you will please not breathe a word of this to Ms. Banks, Ms. Lynch if you meet her, and especially not Ms. Martinez...I would be very grateful,” Alexa explained. While she was not much given to self-consciousness she found she didn’t relish the idea of any of these women (all of whom she’d come to regard as friends) knowing what she was doing.

“Uh, of course.”

“In exchange, I would be happy to...ah...provide you with some professional advice.”

Von Erich nodded eagerly. “That sounds great! And yeah, my lips are sealed.”

“Excellent, please endeavor to use the word ‘uh’ less in your conversation.”

“What?”

“You’ve begun several sentences with the word ‘uh’. I’ve also noted this in several of your interviews I have seen. This is contributing to your perceived lack of intelligence, minimizing or eliminating the habit will help combat this perception.”

**\----------**

Alexa had been forced to improvise when it came to her shower that morning. The gym’s female locker room hadn’t been any more salubrious than the rest of the facility. In particular, Alexa was reluctant to stand in the shower even in her flip flops. So she’d found a pair of mostly clean towels and put those down under her feet before showering after her workout.

Alexa found these lessons in martial arts to be both rewarding and frustrating. Her time working for Charlotte Flair had awoken a small interest in combat sports within her. Since then she’d worked with a few other clients in MMA and boxing, always watching intently. She’d been making tentative moves to learn something of the field on her own but this had been her first ‘serious’ lesson.

Alexa was, in all modesty, a highly competent person. When she set her mind to things she was usually very good at them. Yet martial arts seemed to remain tauntingly just outside her competency. She felt she was making some progress but very slowly. This frustrated her. On the other hand, she managed to dump the much larger Von Erich to the mat several times today and that had felt...very good.

Alexa often felt very satisfied with her work and herself. There was no shortage of validation for her in the form of the good opinion of her peers, her many awards, and even the considerable wealth she’d amassed. Yet, somehow this feeling was different than the sense of pride she took in her modest gains in the ring. Bayley would probably have called it a ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ though Alexa would never use such verbiage herself.

Alexa used the locker room mirror to make herself presentable. She had made sure to bring a second bag with her this morning that included all she would need to do so. She then dressed and emerged from the locker room in an immaculately pressed power suit consisting of a jacket and pencil skirt. Her hair was up in a style carefully designed to convey power and firmness. Her heels clicked on the tattered floor as she strode purposefully toward where Meng Fifita was standing with a woman just as small as Alexa herself.

She stood a respectful distance back from the pair as the dark-haired woman pressed a Tupperware container into Fifita’s hands. “_ Es más de esa paella que te gusta, aunque probé algunas cosas nuevas. Dime qué piensas cuando lo termines,” _she said.

Fifita's response, in a Spanish so halting and garbled that it was hard to listen to, was uncharacteristically sheepish sounding. “_ Gracias, cielo ... yo ... estoy ... feliz ... ¿como bien?” _

The small woman just laughed and left, Alexa noted that as soon as she made it through the second door her laughter seemed to gain in volume. Turning to Fifita she cleared her throat in a way that had silenced rooms full of raucous professional athletes. Fifita seemed to flinch as she did before turning to face her. “Your pronunciation could use considerable work, Mr. Fifita. However, I am very grateful for your assistance this morning. I understand that you won’t accept payment, but I would like to offer this in any case.”

She extended one of her business cards toward him. He took it curiously, as though he’d never seen such a thing before.

“What’s this for?”

“In case you are ever in a situation where you might need my skills, I believe I can count this morning as owing you a favor.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Bliss.”

Alexa nodded and pushed through the doors and marched out to her rental. She’d been mildly concerned that it might have suffered some form of interference in this rough neighborhood. But it seemed to be just as she’d left it, so she deposited her bags in the trunk, removed her attache case, set this on the passenger seat, got into the car, and started it.

She let it run for a few moments, basking in the air conditioning. Though it was early it was already quite warm in LA. She indulged in this for only a minute before taking out her phone and syncing it with the car. She then used the voice control feature to place a call as she pulled out of her parking spot. 

“_ Hello?” _came the reply after the second ring.

“Are you prepared for our breakfast meeting?” Alexa asked.

“_ Well good morning to you too, sunshine. I’m well, thanks for asking. Sasha and I went on a mini-vacation this past weekend, yes I’d love to tell you about it later. How are you?” _

Alexa pursed her lips. She had never quite gotten used to the seamless way in which Bayley blended irony and ingenuousness, it still wrong-footed her often. But in this case, she knew her error right away. Though she often thought others put far too much emphasis on the superficial forms of politeness.

“I apologize, Bayley. How are you?” Alexa asked.

“_ I just told you, Babs, try to keep up! _” 

“Babs?” Alexa asked, confused.

“_Babs Bunny.” _

“Who is that?”

Bayley heaved a dramatic sigh. “_ Nevermind, my wit is wasted here. And it’s not a breakfast meeting. It’s just having breakfast with a friend.” _

Despite her confusion and chagrin from a moment before, Alexa smiled at this. Though she didn’t often express it, she was very grateful to have Bayley as her friend. She hadn’t ever made many either as a child or an adult. Her ambition and relentless drive for perfection had often left her on the outside looking in at such things. This, and their wildly disparate personalities and outlooks had made any such friendship between them very unlikely. And it hadn’t helped that the first time they’d met, Alexa had fired Bayley.

But, for whatever reason that Alexa still couldn’t fathom, Bayley had helped her all those years ago. She’d consented to be Alexa’s social coach and, Alexa acknowledged, had done remarkably efficacious work. Alexa still wasn’t mistress of all the social graces but it had been some time since she’d felt completely disconnected from others in all situations others than work. 

“You and I are meeting somewhere to eat breakfast, I believe that would literally constitute a breakfast meeting,” she said pedantically.

So she was still a work in progress.

Bayley, as ever immune to Alexa’s comments, just laughed. “_ OK, Babs, yes I’ll be there. I’m just leaving the house. Hey, are you going to be able to make it over for dinner while you’re in town?” _

Alexa mentally considered her schedule while she was in LA. It was filled to bursting, but to someone like her, it was no great thing to carve out time. Especially for her best friend. 

“I believe so.”

“_ We’ll work out the details at breakfast. See you soon!” _

**\----------**

Alexa had been sitting in her car, working on her phone for about half an hour, waiting for the restaurant to open. It was a perennial issue for her that she often arrived places so early that she was left with spare time to kill. This wasn’t a problem for her though as she always had work she could use to fill these downtimes. She had already answered 43 emails that morning and was now wrapping up a phone call.

“Yes, Mr. Woods, the incident with your client and those pancakes was...regrettable. However, I believe that it’s not unmanageable. If this is the only issue you require my assistance on I will send you an email on my fee structure and, after arrangements have been made, I will be happy to begin developing an action plan for you and Mr. Langston-”

Alexa was cut off here by a knocking on her window. Looking to her right she found herself staring up at the beaming face of Bayley Martinez, host of the MMAyley report. Alexa tried to match the expression as best she could (though with Bayley this was like asking a candle to shine like the sun) before she held up a finger and turned to close her attache case.

“Mr. Woods, I’m afraid my next meeting is about to begin, was there anything else?” 

Less than two minutes later, Alexa stepped out of her car and just had time to smooth her outfit when she was enveloped in a breath-stealing hug. 

“Hey, babs!” Bayley told her excitedly as Alexa did her best to keep from spluttering. She wasn’t overly given to public displays of emotion of any sort, so she was often unsure how to respond to her friend’s hugs. Which was not to say she didn’t like them.

“Good...good morning Ms- err….good morning Bayley,” she finally managed to say as she patted her friend on the back in a somewhat mechanical fashion. Bayley gave her one last squeeze before leaning back to hold Alexa at arm's length.

“Third times the charm?” the reporter turned TV host said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Alexa noted this expression with interest as she always did. It wasn’t one the Bayley she’d first met had ever used, it was a further example of how much her marriage had influenced her.

Alexa sighed heavily at this, knowing what was expected of her. “Good morning...Bay,” she muttered. As much progress as she’d made at loosening up (or as Becky Lynch put it ‘de-stickifying’ her ass) she still didn’t see the point in most nicknames.

“There it is! Come on Babs, I bet they open early for us,” Bayley said as she looped an arm through Alexa’s and led her toward the doors. It turned out she was right, though Alexa suspected that the employee opened up for Bayley more than her.

Alexa took a moment to watch her friend interact with the first employee and then the others. Each one was met with that glowing grin and real warmth in a way that still couldn’t fail to impress her. Alexa had to admit to herself (though never to Bayley) that when she’d first asked for the other woman’s help her motivations had been partially cynical. She’d been hoping to study the other woman up close, to learn how she seemed to be able to make every one like her so effortlessly, and then simply co-opt the skills into her own repertoire.

But, for the first time of what had turned into many, Bayley had surprised her. Alexa’s initial opinion of her had been that she was simply a naively good-natured simpleton. A woman of great charm but very little depth. Alexa had since come to deeply regret this initial view, and to recognize it for what it had been: a flare of petty jealousy. 

Bayley’s completely authentic cheerfulness could sometimes obscure a deep and penetrating intelligence. Furthermore, she had those rarest of qualities of being exceptionally honest and possessing real integrity. Alexa had dealt with media types most of her professional life and that last one was as rare as four-leaf clovers in the industry. More than this, Bayley had been right when they’d first discussed her helping Alexa. Being liked wasn’t something Alexa could gull others into, she had to work hard at it.

When they’d been seated and ordered coffee, Alexa took out her phone to check the time only to have it plucked from her hands. Bayley then set it down on the table before placing her phone on top of it. “No phones! I want to chat with my friend this morning! It’s been way too long since you were out west.”

Alexa cast a longing glance after her phone, her more or less constant companion before she sagged a bit. She was every bit as excited to see Bayley as the other woman was to see her, even if she didn’t show it. Besides, she didn’t have anything too critical to do in the next hour or so. Unless an emergency popped up…

Alexa had to work to keep her hand from twitching as she turned to face Bayley with her own smile. “You’re right, of course, how have you been?”

“Oh, you know how it is pretty busy. The show is doing really well but even so, I'm not like ‘you’ busy, but the show and teaching keep me occupied.”

Alexa brightened at this. “Yes, how is the professorial job going?” she asked.

“Well, only an assistant professor and only part-time but….I’m really enjoying it. It was very flattering to get asked. I never thought of myself as an expert on journalism, never mind someone to teach it but I really do like working with the students.”

“It would seem you were born to the task, I speak from personal experience,” Alexa said as their coffee arrived. Alexa took her’s black but she waited for Bayley to add a surprising amount of sugar into hers.

“You haven’t needed my help in years,” Bayley said with a dismissive wave as she blew on her drink.

“Yet you’ve corrected me twice this morning.”

Bayley made a face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t. You’d think I’d have learned by now not to try and change other people. But you know how much I hate being called ‘Mrs. Martinez’.”

Alexa raised an eyebrow as she sipped coffee. “Or by your first name?”

“What’s so hard about bay?”

“It’s a recessed body of coastal water connecting to a larger body of water.”

“Oh shut it, Babs,” Bayley muttered even as she winked at Alexa.

“And about THAT nickname...I did some research while I was waiting for you. I am neither pink nor a rabbit, thus I do not see how it applies to me.” Bayley stared at her with a raised eyebrow for a few moments, her expression incredulous. “Have I said something wrong?” Alexa finally asked.

“You’re short.”

Alexa blinked at this response and thought for a few moments. Then she recalled the media property from which the character ‘Babs Bunny’ originated. “Ah...oh...very droll indeed.”

“I thought so.”

“I was being facetious MISSES Martinez.”

“I know.”

Alexa stewed for a moment as she hid behind the menu. What she read there didn’t exactly raise her mood either. “You were quite effusive in your praise of this place, I was expecting something a bit more...refined.”

“You are such a food snob! This place is delicious, thank you very much!” 

“And a cholesterol nightmare…” Alexa said as she turned a page “...I assumed you might someday start eating better.”

“We can’t all be barbie doll-sized, and I’m in great shape!”

“Through some miracle of metabolism...yes…” Alexa sighed. She ended up ordering a simple bowl of oatmeal with a fruit salad. Bayley, on the other hand, was set to tuck into eggs, bacon, waffles, and hashbrowns.

“You are so THAT girl it’s hurts sometimes,” Bayley said later as they ate. Alexa simply adopted a prim expression as she took another bite of her meal.

“This is perfectly adequate to my needs, thank you,” she said. 

Bayley obviously chose to ignore this as she changed the subject. “Sooo how is Braun?” she asked with a sly smile. Alexa coughed once and cleared her throat at this, fidgeting with the ring on her left hand. Bayley had been one of her bridesmaids at her recent wedding to Braun Strowman, a pediatrician in Orlando.

“He’s, very well. His practice is thriving and his...ah...musical act is gaining traction as well.”

“Call it what it is Alexa, it’s a barbershop quartet.”

“Indeed…” Alexa said with a sigh. She loved her husband very much, more than she had anyone else but she didn’t love that particular hobby of his.

“Someday you WILL explain to me the logistics of-”

“NOT...here-” Alexa said as she felt herself blush. She shot a glance around the restaurant before she cleared her throat and changed the subject. “When would you like me to come over tomorrow evening?”

Bayley clearly knew what Alexa had just done but she let the subject drop. “How about eight? Sasha convinced her friend Aye Hunter to cook for us.”

Alexa frowned. “The actor?”

Bayley shrugged. “Apparently he’s a celebrity chef now too. Sasha says he’s good though.”

“Well, at least Mrs. Banks knows how to appreciate the finer things...unlike some people…”

Bayley looked theatrically affronted. “You little brat!” she said even as she reached over to try and mess Alexa’s hair. Alexa dodged this as she stood.

“I need to get to my first meeting today, but it was lovely to see you...Bay,” she said before submitting to another hug.

\----------

Alexa was once again waiting. 

This time she was in the waiting room of Teddy Long’s office in LA. Thuggin and Buggin Combat sports were widely considered to be one of the ‘Big 3’ teams in the BFA orbit along with Flair Combat Sports and Celtic Combat Sports. Alexa was of the opinion that the it was the largest. Not just because it had the most fighters, trainers, facilities, etc but because of it’s owner.

Teddy Long’s instinct for both business and theatrics had pushed T&B beyond the sport and into a legitimate entertainment brand. He’d been aided greatly in this by Sasha Banks but no one was under the illusion that Long hadn’t been a big part of her success. Little touches like the yearly T&B photoshoots, parties, and the on-going reality show based out of the team’s LA facility had imprinted the brand in the collective pop-culture consciousness. It wasn’t uncommon to see people wearing T&B gear in daily life, even people with little or no interest in MMA itself. And the ‘Buggin Teddy’ meme was fast approaching iconic status on the internet.

Thuggin and Buggin seemed to be as close to the top of the world as was possible, which added to Alexa’s sense of puzzlement. She was rarely contacted for people who were doing well. In the parlance of her field, she was primarily a sin eater and a firefighter. The fact that Long had not only requested her time but flown her from Orlando on T&B’s jet had her intrigued. Her job had long since convinced her that everyone (with the possible exception of Bayley) was sitting on some skeletons.

So what was Teddy Long worried about…

“Ms. Bliss?” Long’s assistant, a woman named Cameron Lynn, said from where she’d just entered the waiting room. Alexa stood, smoothed her clothing, and gave the other woman an unreadable but pleasantly attentive look. “Mr. Long is ready for you now.”

Alexa nodded and trailed behind the other woman through Long’s outer office and into the inner one. The T&B offices were located above it’s primary LA training facility and stuck out in the rough neighborhood where they were located. In contrast to the older and more worn looking buildings around it, T&B HQ was a sleek and modern construction of gleaming metal and glass. Long’s office sat on the sixth floor, atop it all. There were three other offices on the floor, though only one was occupied, that belonging to Titus O’Neil, the T&B General Manager. The other two, which to Alexa’s eye looked as though they weren’t used often, had the names ‘Meng Fifita’ and ‘Sasha Banks’ on their doors.

Alexa put these thoughts out of her mind as she entered Long’s office which was the largest. The impression she got was that of being in a large fishbowl. The roof and both side walls were single panes of glass so clean that one could almost believe they werent there. The wall behind Long’s desk had an impressive array of windows as well. 

To one side was a small sitting circle of chairs, on the other was a large TV angled toward the desk with a couch in front of it. Alexa also noted the presence of a beautiful lacquer piano and a bar. Long’s desk was enormous and made of a sand-colored wood, Alexa guessed it would have cost as much as a new car. The room had been decorated in such a way that the lines all drew the eye inexorably toward the desk and the man sitting behind it.

Alexa was impressed.

“Ms. Bliss, thank you so much for joining me today,” Teddy Long said as he stood and hurried around his desk to shake Alexa’s hand. He had a smile as wide as Bayley’s but it wasn’t the same. Long's was somehow smoother and more charming while somehow being less an expression of genuine mirth. 

“Mr. Long, always a pleasure,” Alexa said as she offered her perfect handshake. She didn’t add anything else but did nod graciously when Long gestured her down into a chair. She had long since learned the value of keeping silent in these situations and was content to wait for Long to explain himself.

Long settled himself behind his desk and studied Alexa silently for a few moments. Alexa kept her inscrutable smile in face and continued to wait. Long’s smile changed then, as though he were acknowledging that he knew what Alexa was doing and approved. “Ms. Bliss, I assume you have a theory as to why I brought you out here at such great expense?”

Alexa didn’t but she didn’t say so. She preferred not to speculate on such matters. She just raised an eyebrow. It seemed Long was going to expound in any case.

“I’m sure you’ve been keeping abreast of the….tension...that has been developing between the BFA teams and ownership,” Long said, it was a statement, not a question. Alexa had been, she kept abreast of everything, but Long’s words gave her a very good idea of where this meeting was going. 

“Mr. McMahon is negotiating a new television deal, potentially even with a broadcast network. He’s pushing for a much larger percentage of the revenue than previously and also wants broader discretion when it comes to fighter discipline. I’ve also heard from some of my sources that he’s pondering a form of free agency akin to those found in other sports,” Alexa answered.

She was rewarded with a look of surprise that briefly flickered on Long’s face. “You’re very well informed, Ms. Bliss,” he said after he’d regained control of his face. 

“It’s my job,” Alexa said simply. She’d actually heard this last from her other best friend, Charlotte Flair. They often exchanged information on an informal basis.

“As you can imagine this is not something the team owners are in favor of. We want to continue to employ our fighters directly. In my case, I have a record-setting champion in-house. I’ve got no desire to suddenly have that contract voided.” Alexa guessed he was referring to the fact that Sasha Banks was in the midst of an unprecedented nearly two year run as the BFA Women’s Featherweight Champion.

“Of course,” Alexa said non-committally.

“I can sense there is likely a conflict brewing between McMahon and his group and the owners, myself included. That being said I wanted to gather the best cards available in case I need to play them, feel me?”

Alexa nodded again. “And you believe I am one of those cards.”

“Ain’t no one better in the PR game, Ms. Bliss. And I expect you know that even if you’re too polite to say it out loud,” Long said, adopting some of the ‘aw shucks’ mannerisms that were such a cornerstone of his charm.

“You be correct,” Alexa allowed. She took a moment to think and then asked the question that was foremost in her mind. “You seem to be indicating that this eventuality, even if inevitable, isn’t imminent?”

Long nodded with a smile you might give a bright pupil. “Correct again, ma’am. Nothing is happening at this moment, but when it does I want you on T&B’s team.”

“So what exactly are you proposing? As I understand it the current TV deal doesn’t expire for another year,” Alexa asked.

“Think of it as calling dibs on the good people for when it comes time to pick teams…” Teddy explained “...I do not doubt that other teams, not to mention Shane, will try to get you in-house when the time comes. I'm hoping to secure an agreement now. “

Alexa raised an eyebrow. She’d never done this before but it did make sense. “You not only want me to work for you but it’s as much to make sure I’m not working for anyone else…”

“Correct, Ms. Bliss, and I’d be willing to compensate you accordingly.”

For a moment, just a moment, Alexa felt an uncharacteristic pang of guilt. If the dispute that Long envisioned did arise, she had no doubt that Charlotte would reach out to her. Alexa had enjoyed her time working for Charlotte, it had proven to be a major period of personal growth for her. But she’d long since moved on. That was the nature of her business, she stayed until her task was done and no longer.

It hadn’t ever happened before that she had remained in any real contact with a former client. Few people had wanted to keep in touch with her back then. Which was why she’d reached out to Bayley when she had. But Charlotte, like the reporter, was one of Alexa’s best friends. It would be hard to have to tell her no, and that she was already committed to another team.

But Alexa shook this off quickly. Charlotte was a businesswoman, she would understand better than anyone if Alexa had a previous commitment. Their friendship was secure enough that nothing like a simple scheduling conflict could come between them. With an inward nod at this comforting thought, Alexa turned fully back to Long.

Their discussions continued from there. They discussed how the coming crisis might present itself and what strategies might be best employed by both sides. Alexa didn’t offer much in the way of concrete suggestions here. She did, after all, make her money in doing that sort of thing so didn’t want to do it for free even on a small scale. They also spent some time discussing how the owners of the various teams might react.

This discussion took longer than the earlier parts. Long had bought enough of Alexa’s time that she was prepared to indulge him until he was satisfied. But when it came time to discuss Flair Combat Sports and Charlotte in particular, she did hesitate a little.

“You have some personal experience dealing with Mrs. Flair, I don’t want you to tell any secrets here but how do you think she’ll react if Shane makes this move?” Long asked.

“_Very badly, probably violently,” _was the answer that popped into Alexa’s head. But she suppressed this. 

“She will be strongly against the measures we believe Mr. McMahon will propose,” was what Alexa said.

“What do you think she’ll do?” Long asked pointedly.

The twinge of guilt returned to Alexa here. Long was asking as though Charlotte would be his opponent as much as McMahon would be. And, Alexa had to concede, it was entirely possible that she would be. It wasn’t necessarily a given that the team owners would all react corporately to McMahon’s gambit. It was more than possible they would fall into squabbling with each other. If that happened it was conceivable that T&B and Flair Combat Sports might both end up leading different factions. 

“She will...do what’s best for her fighters. Always,” Alexa finally said after a pause for thought, She’d almost said ‘fighter’ but had caught herself. She was finding it harder and harder to make the ‘she’s a businesswoman’ rationale work as a sop to her conscience. 

“Very true…” Long said in a tone and with a look that made Alexa sure he’d guessed what she was thinking. Pursing her lips at having given away this information, Alexa schooled her face back to its usual expression and proceeded to have a frank discussion on what she thought her best friend might do in the future. 

By the time Alexa rose and shook Long’s hand again, they had reached an agreement in principle. In exchange for a financial deposit, Alexa would undertake to make herself available to Long’s team (and only this team) if and when the dispute they’d been discussing arose. She would then remain in his employ until the crisis had passed. She would be free to continue any work she had been in the midst of, but not to take any new clients after these until her work with Long was done. If no such dispute arose, she could keep the deposit.

The deposit was...generous. Much more than Alexa had expected she might be able to command. The large sum was obviously designed to overcome not only any reservations Alexa might have but to encourage her to agree to the terms while she was here. Long might have been worried that once she left his influence she might develop cold feet. He needn’t have worried about this, Alexa was a professional above all else, and she knew Charlotte would eventually understand.

Or she hoped.

\----------

Alexa was sitting in _ Le Clex _eating lunch an hour after her meeting with Long.

The place was a concept restaurant owned by Clex, the owner of the ubiquitous ‘Clex’s’. _ Le Clex _was supposed to offer a higher end dining experience with more gourmet ingredients. Alexa certainly liked the food more than at a regular Clex’s but she found the atmosphere was being spoiled by the music.

The song ‘_ Tranquillo Moonwalk’ _by the musical duo of Carmella Dale and Zelina Vega (collectively known as Zelmella) was currently playing through the speakers. Alexa detested both the song and the act. Quite apart from the fact that she was now close to both Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks (and thus not positively disposed toward their toxic exes) she just felt it wasn’t good. Alexa often listened to Chopin when she was working out and Zelmella’s music simply did not appeal to her.

She made sure to mention this to the person she was presently on the phone with.

“_Why do you think I’m trying to divorce one of them? Can you help me?” _Clex herself asked through Alexa’s headset.

“I believe I tried to when I told you that allowing Vega onto ‘_ The Clexlorette’ _ was a bad idea. The fact that you chose her in the end...”

“_ Not helping!” _

“I’m afraid I don’t handle celebrity PR of this nature, Clex. However, I can put you in touch with several good divorce lawyers and a PR firm that does specialize in this sort of thing if you like.”

“_ Ugh! Fine! But I’m not inviting you to the big luau this year if this doesn’t work out.” _

Alexa, who had never once attended one of the famous parties thrown by the fast-food billionaire, shrugged. “I will endeavor to cope, I’ll send you an email soon.”

As soon as she ended the call with Clex, a new name popped up onto her phone. Looking down a smile automatically spread across her face though she suppressed it quickly. Looking around quickly she answered the incoming call.

“Hello, Braun.”

“_ Hello my baby, hello my darling, hello my beautiful gal!” _came the musical response. Alexa forced a frown onto her face but she couldn’t do anything about the warm feeling within her. 

“Yes, yes, thank you. How are you?” Alexa said quickly, hoping to avoid another musical response.

  
  
“ _ I’m perfect, Teacup! No difficult patients lately, the band is sounding outstanding, and the guys all thought it was so cool to meet Becky Lynch. Thanks so much for setting that up, babe! _” Alexa’s husband said this in a tone that allowed her to picture perfectly the expression on his face. And this mental imagine hit her with a powerful sense of longing.

“You’re very welcome,” Alexa answered. She left unmentioned the fact that she knew Lynch would demand some sort of major favor in return for having agreed to meet Braun and his friends while she was in Florida.

“_ So how is the trip going?” _Braun asked.

Alexa bit her lip at this. Technically it had been very successful. She’d concluded a very lucrative deal with a powerful client that, as of now, obligated her to do nothing. Yet, the feeling that she was somehow hurting Charlotte still lingered. She didn’t want to get into this over the phone, however. “It’s been going very well so far, I’ll have some big news when I get back home.”

“_ I’m so proud of you, Tea Cup. I wanted to tell you that we got a call from Charlotte earlier, we’re invited up to Boston in a few weeks for Little Boss’s birthday!” _

This unexpected reference to the woman Alexa had just avoided discussing caught her off guard. She didn’t even know why she was worried. Nothing had happened yet and she did believe that Charlotte wouldn’t understand her reasons for doing what she’d done. 

“Her name is Siobhan,” Alexa said quickly.

“_ You know she hates being called that, I’m sticking with little boss to earn some easy popularity points.” _

Alexa actually chuckled at that. “Is it that easy for you at work then?”

“_ Sometimes.” _

“I miss you,” Alexa said quietly, apropos of nothing. 

“_ Miss you too, Teacup.” _The totally sincere way her husband said this, combined with his pet name for her, made Alexa feel better. It even brought a small smile to her face.

“I’ll let Charlotte know we will both be there. I’m seeing Bayley and Sasha tomorrow anything you want me to tell them?” she asked.

_ “Just that I’d love a picture with Sasha and that Bayley owes me a rematch on Madden!” _

Alexa rolled her eyes. “I will tell them. I should be back the day after tomorrow.”

“_ I’ll have a surprise waiting for you!” _

Alexa blushed again, she could guess just what sort of a surprise it would be. “That’s not...necessary-”

“_ Of course it’s not, but I want to do it...so I will. You just get ready to get these ha-” _

“Can I say good-bye to the animals?” Alexa blurted quickly, her flush deepening.

“_ OK, hang on...you’re on speaker. Larry-Steve is here.” _

“Mommy misses you and she’ll be home soon!” Alexa cooed, in a voice that would have surprised almost anyone else who knew her and would have led Becky Lynch to mock her relentlessly.

Braun came back on the phone. “_ Love you, Teacup, see you soon…” _

Alexa looked quickly around to make sure no one was looking before she whispered: “I love you too, Teddy Bear.”

\----------

Alexa had just concluded her final meeting of the six she'd had scheduled for the day, this one had been with several executives of the Los Angeles Rams, when her phone rang again. 

“Hello, this is Bliss?”

_ “That always sounds weird, you know that?” _Ruby Riott answered.

“Mrs. Riott, what can I do for you?”

_ “When are you going to start calling me Ruby?” _

Alexa kicked herself again. “I’m working on it.”

Ruby laughed. “_ You’ve been working on it for years!” _

“And I obviously still require more work, can I help you with something?” Alexa asked, speaking brusquely to cover her chagrin.

“_ I’m just calling to make sure you’re coming to Boston for the party.” _

“I told Charlotte earlier that I would be.”

“_ See? Why do you call her Charlotte but you can’t call me Ruby?” _

“Was there something else?” Alexa sighed.

“_ Yeah, could you come in a few days early? Becky doesn’t know it but we’re also going to throw her a big party on her sobriety anniversary.” _

Alexa didn’t hesitate. “Of course, when is it?” Though she took no direct credit for the development, Becky’s getting sober and staying that way was one of the most inspiring things Alexa had ever seen. She was proud beyond words of her friend, though she knew Becky would never want to hear this from her.

“_ I’ll send you the details. Hey, do you know what you’re going to get Boston for her birthday?” _

“Why does everyone insist on addressing that child by anything but her given name?”

“_ Why do you insist on greeting a toddler like you’re there for a job interview?” _

Alexa pursed her lips at this response. “I was going to go shopping soon, my workday is coming to an end.”

“_ Liv and I wanted to know if you wanted to go in on something together? We’re thinking of getting her one of those battery-powered cars.” _

“I hardly think that would be the most productive use of Siobhan’s time. I’m going to be getting her something that is both amusing AND educational.” Alexa said this but then had to wait as a storm of hooting laughter came through the phone.

“_ And THIS is why auntie Lexie’s gifts are always left where they were opened while the others get played with.” _

“She will thank me someday for looking out for her best interests.”

“_ Uh-huh...anyway, we’re also going to play poker again at the gym. Are you in?” _

“I would have thought you all would have grown tired of losing by now,” Alexa said innocently.

“_ Yeah, yeah, yuck it up. Your good luck can’t last forever.” _

“There is no ‘luck’ involved, Ruby. It’s simply a matter of playing probabilities against each other. Luck is-”

“_ Yeah, yeah, I know. ‘Luck is an idiot’s attempt to grasp probability. It’s one of my favorite Alexa-isms, _” Ruby said.

“You might consider taking it to heart. In any case, if you can find the players I will make time in my schedule for a game.”

“_ You’re going down, Bliss!” _

“Oh, I highly doubt that.”

“_ See you in a week or so!” _

“Indeed.” Alexa ended the call and then and used her car’s console to look up the route to a high-end children’s clothing store. Perhaps she would get Siobhan her first suit…

As she shopped she reflected on the odd way in which adults formed their families. There was the one you were born with, obviously, but then there was the one you made. Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Bayley Martinez, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, and others. They were as much her family as her parents or siblings. And that meant so was little Siobhan. Alexa wasn’t sold on kids of her own yet, but she did take her responsibilities as the girl’s aunt very seriously. Ruby and others might argue too seriously but Alexa didn’t care. 

It was still something she could marvel at, how much change she’d undergone in the last few years. Before she’d gone to work for Charlotte, she’d had no real friends just professional contacts and colleagues. They’d certainly respected her, as she had them, but there wasn’t any real warmth. She’d also had a handful of failed relationships and a broken engagement. All of these had ended on the same note, the men had felt like she was too cool and tool calculating.

In those times Alexa would work all day, squeeze in a workout, then eat alone unless she had a business dinner. Even her employees, Alicia and Mickie, hadn’t been close to her though they traveled together. What time she had spent at home in Florida had been accompanied only by her pet pig and dog.

Now, look at her? It was hard for her to believe she’d existed so solitary for so long. She couldn’t imagine her life without Braun and her adopted family. She never wanted to have to either. There would be disagreements to be sure, she was thinking of how Charlotte might react to her deal with Teddy Long, but they would always get past them. She would make sure of it.

Family was everything. She knew that now.

**Author's Note:**

> A little something to you amazing humans to tide you over until bigger things!
> 
> Do Goose and I huge favor? Bookmark the series so you don't miss anything!


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